Plaiting-machine



J. WHYTEQ PLMTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man DEC.13.1920.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR wwii ,4

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY J. WHY TE.

PLAITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED nmta. 1920.

1,399,231, Patented Dec. '6, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR 05, m 0% I i 4/ BY k .4 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WHYT'E, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOT-1 1E SERVICE CLOTH PLEATING COMPANY, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION.

PLAITING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 13, 1920. Serial No. 430,337.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN WHYTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plaiting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a machine in which a strip of cloth may be steamed, plaited, pressed and deposited mechanically in a container. By its use many hand operations that are now necessary to steam, plait, press and deposit the cloth, are eliminated.

It is another object of my invention to provide plaiting fingers for accomplishing in a simple and efficient manner, the work of plaiting the cloth after it leaves the steaming means and before it reaches the pressing device. My invention contemplates the mounting of these fingers on dogs carried by two endless sprocket chains, with stationary tracks between the latter to force the fingers into engagement with the cloth.

Other important and incidental objects will be brought out in the following specification, and particularly set forth in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my plaiting machine with one side frame and one set of operating fingers removed. Fig. 2 is an end view of said machine, showing the operating mechanism therefor. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the endless sprocket chains at the point where the plaiting fingers first engage the cloth. And Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken through one of the sprocket chains on the line a a of Fig. 3, showing the plaiting finger mechanism.

Throughout the specification and drawings, similar reference characters aenote corresponding parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates a horizontal table upon one end of which there are secured bearings 2 for a transverse shaft 3 on which a driving pulley 4 is fast. Also secured to the shaft 3 is a bevel gear 5 in mesh with a bevel gear 6 fast on the lower end of an inclined shaft 7 journaled in bearings 8, 9 and 10 secured, one above the other, to a top frame 11 supported by the table 1.

Fast on the shaft 7 above the bearing 9;

Patented Dec. 6, 19531.

is a bevel gear 12 in mesh with a bevel gear 13 fast on a shaft 14 suitably journaled in the top frame 11. Secured to the shaft 1%, one near each end thereof, are two sprocket wheels 15, one of which wheels is not shown.

Behind the latter on a transverse shaft 16 suitably journaled in the top frame 11, is pair of sprocket wheels 17 one of which wheels is not shown. Around each sprocket wheel 15 and 17 passes an endless sprocket chain 18 which is turned when the sprocket wheels 15 are rotated by the means before d scribed.

Suitably journaled in the top frame 11 above the transverse shaft 16, is a transverse shaft 19 on one end of which is fast a bevel gear 20 in mesh with a bevel gear 21 fast on the inclined shaft 7 above the when the sprocket wheels 22 are rotated by.

the means hereinbefore described.

Rotatably supported by a bracket 26 projecting rearwardly from the top frame 11, is a roll 27 of cloth 28. This strip of cloth 28 passes forwardly between a steam chamber 28 whose top portion is apertured, and a vacuum chamber 29 above the latter, whose bottom portion is apertured,'both'of said chambers being secured to the rear end of the top frame 11. Steam is conducted to the chamber 28 through a tube 30 for the purpose of steaming the cloth prior to its being plaited by means to be hereinafter described. This steam is exhausted through the vacuum chamber 29 and communicating tube 31.

The cloth then passes between the lower run of the sprocket chains 25 and the upper roller 35 and a lower roller 36.

guide. Suitably mounted in the frame 11, at the top end of the guide 32, is an upper The upper canvas belt 33 after passing around a drive pulley 37 fast on the drive shaft 3, travels around guide rollers 38 and 39, then around the roller 35 and over the guide 32, and then around a roller 40 supported on the rear end of the table 1, to the drive pulley 37.

The lower canvas belt 34% after passing around the lower roller 36 and over the guide 32, travels around a roller/11 supported by the rear end of the top frame 11, and then around guide rollers 42 and 43 to the lower roller 36. (See Fig. 1.)

The cloth 28 is presented by the canvas belts 33 and 3 1 to the pressing means new to be described. Mounted upon the table 1, is a ressing weight 14 to which are secured ro s 15 which project downwardly through guides 46 in thetable 1. Surrounding the lower end of each rod 45, between the lower end of the guide 46 and a washer 4:? on the rod, is a coil spring 48 which is compressed by a nut i9 on the lower threaded end of the rod to draw the pressing weight l l' into Sllf-;

ficiently tight engagement with the cloth to press it. B turning the nuts 49 on the lower threat ed ends of the rods45, it. is easily possible to adjust the tension of the springs 48 to secure the desired pressure of the pressing weight upon the cloth.

After passing under the pressing weight ried by the lower ends of oscillatory levers 51, one of which levers is notishown. These levers 51 are pivotally secured at their upper ends within the top frame 11. Each lever 51 is oscillated by an eccentric rod 53 connected to an eccentric 54 on the shaft 16. The oscillatory mechanism just described delivers the cloth, in a wave like manner, to acontainer 55 below. (See Fig. 1).

The means employed for plaiting. the cloth as it passes between the sprocket chains, will now be described. Secured to each adjacent pair of pins 56 in. the sprocket chain 18, is a pair of dogs 57; Each dog 57 has a downwardly projecting lug portion 58 through which there loosely projects a horizontal bolt 59. The. head of thisbolt restrains the outward movement. of the lug portion 58 of one dog 57 while a nut. 60 on,

the other end of the bolt limitsthe outward movement of the lug portion of the compare ion dog 57. Encircling the bolt 59 between these adjacent lug portions 58 on the respec-l tive dogs, is a coil spring 61, which is compressedwhenthese lug portions are'moved.

is a track 6 1 havin inclined ends that no PD ject approximately to the vertical axes of the sprocket wheels 15 and 17; The rear inclinedv end of each track 64 is in the path of forward movement of the horn-shaped portions 62 of the dogs 57 as the latter are carried upwardly by the sprocket chains 18, with the result that when said horn portions of the dogs engage theinclined ends of the tracks,they will be elevated by it to press the plaiting fingers 63 upwardly and outwardly into engagement with the cloth 28, as shown in Fig. 3.

Similar, but inverted, plaiting fingers are secured to inverted. horn-shaped portions clined ends of a track 68 above the lower run of the sprocket chain 25, they will: forcet-he lower ends of the plaiting fingers. 65 which they carry, into a gradually expanding,

downwardengagement with the cloth2 8, between each pair of upwardly expandinghn gers G3, to givesaicl cloth ab x plait. 7

When the horn-shaped portions 62 of the dogs 57 start to travel down the inclined front endsof the tracks 64:, the pressure of the compressed springs 61 will press the lug 44, the cloth 28 travels over a roll 50 carportions 58 ofsaid dogs outwardly to draw the plaiting fingers. 63 downwardly from: engagement with the cloth 2S, justprior to its entrance between the canvas belts 33 and 34:. Similarly, when the horn-shaped portions 66 of the inverted dogs 67 come to the front inclined'ends of the tracks 68-, the pressure of compressed springs 69, similar to springs 61, will press lug portions 70 on said dogs 67 outwardly alongbolts 71 todraw the plaiting fingers 65 upwardly out of engagement with the cloth. 1

It will be observed from Figs. 3 and 4., that I have placed onev set of dogs on one side, and the. next succeeding set of dogs on the opposite side, of each sprocket chain. This permits two dogs to be mounted on each sprocket pin, one on each side of the sprocket chain, so that the horn shaped portion of one dog will point in one direction and the hcr'nehaped portion of the dog on the other side or the sprocket chain will point in the opposite direction. There are also two tracks for each sprocket chain, one on each side thereof to be engaged by the horn-shaped portions of the dogs, It is thus possible by placing the dogs and a track on each side of a sprocket'chain, to provide a pair of plaiting fingers in the space between each two pins in said chain.

The machine is controlled by ahand lever 72faston a shaft 73 on which is secured a rocker arm 7% that operates a clutch 75 which secures the pulley 4 in and out of driving engagement with the shaft 3.

After the plaiting fingers are withdrawn from engagement with the cloth, it is received by the'canvas belts 33 and 34 for presentation to the pressing weightfia, by which it is thoroughly pressed, and thereafter deposited in the container 55. It is thus seen that the cloth is not only steamed, plaited and pressed without hand operations, but that it is deposited mechanically in the container. I

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine of the type described,'the combination with a table, of a steaming device at one end of said table, through which a strip of cloth is adapted to pass, pressing means also supported by said table, a pair of superimposed endless elements, and means carried by said elements for plaiting said clothafter it leaves the steaming means and before it reaches the pressing means.

2. In a machine of the type described, the combination with a table, of a pair of superimposed endless elements supported above I said table, a cloth passing between the lower run of the upper endless element and the upper run of the lower endless element, plaiting fingers carried by said endless elements, and stationary means for forcing said fingers outwardly into engagement with the cloth as it passes between said endless elements, for the purpose specified.

3. In a machine of the type described, the combination with a table, of a pair of superimposed sprocket chains supported for movement together above said table, a cloth passing between the lower run of the upper sprocket chain and the upper run of the lower sprocket chain, dogs pivotally secured to said sprocket chains, plaiting fingers carried by said dogs, and stationary means between the sprocket chains for forcing said fingers outwardly into engagement with the cloth, for the purpose specified.

4. In a machine of the type described, the combination with a table, of a pair of superimposed sprocket chains supported for move ment together above said table, a cloth passing between the lower run of the upper sprocket chain and the upper run of the lower sprocket chain, plaiting fingers carried by said sprocket chains, stationary means for forcing said fingers outwardly into engagement with the cloth, and spring means for returning said fingers to their normal positions after they have passed the stationary means.

5. In a machine of the type described, the combination with a table, of a pair of superimposed sprocket chains supported for movement together above said table, a cloth passing between the lower run of the upper sprocket chain and the upper run of the lower sprocket chain, dogs pivotally secured to said sprocket chains, plaiting fingers carried by said dogs, stationary means between the sprocket chains for forcing said fingers outwardly into engagement with the cloth, lugs on said dogs, and a spring between each two lugs adapted to be compressed when the plaiting fingers are moved outwardly by the stationary means, to return said fingers to their normal positions after they have passed the stationary means.

6. In a machine of the type described, the combination with a table, of a pair of superimposed sprocket chains supported for movement together above said table, a cloth passing between the lower run of the upper sprocket chain and the upper run of the lower sprocket chain, dogs pivotally secured to said sprocket chains, a horn-shaped portion on each dog adapted to cross in scissors fashion the horn-shaped portion of the adjacent dog, plaiting fingers adapted to cross each other in scissors fashion, secured to the cooperating horn-shaped portions of each pair of dogs, and a stationary track adapted to be engaged by the said hornshaped portions of the dogs, to move the free ends of the plaiting fingers outwardly into engagement with the cloth, for the pur pose specified.

7 In a machine of the type described, the combination with a table, of a pair of superimposed sprocket chains supported for movement together above said table, a cloth passing between the lower run of the upper sprocket chain and the upper run of the lower sprocket chain, dogs pivotally secured to said sprocket chains, a horn-shaped portion on each dog adapted to cross in scissors fashion the horn-shaped portion of the adjacent dog, plaiting fingers adapted to cross each other in scissors fashion, secured to the coiiperating horn-shaped portions of each pair of dogs, a stationary track, with inclined ends, adapted to be engaged by said horn-shaped portions of the dogs, to move the free ends of the plaiting fingers outwardly into engagement with the cloth, a lug on each dog, projecting in a direction opposite to that of its horn-shaped portion, a horizontal rod projecting loosely through the free ends of the lugs of each coeperating pair of dogs, and a spring surrounding said rod between the lugs, adapted to be compressed when the plaiting fingers are moved outwardly by the track, to return said fingers to their normal positions after they have passed said track.

8. In a machine of the type described, the combination with a table, of a pair of superimposed sprocket chains supported for movement together above said table, a cloth passing between the lower run of the upper sprocket chain and the upper run of the lower sprocket chain, a series of pairs of plaiting fingers that cross each other in scissors fashion, secured to each sprocket chain, the fingers on the upperchain belngi alternately disposed with those of the lower chain, and stationary means for forcing the plaiting fingers of each upper and lower pair, outwardly into alternate enga ement with the cloth, for the purpose speci ed.

9. In a machine of the type described, the combination With a table, of a steaming device at one end of said table, through which a strip of cloth is adapted to pass, means supported by said table for plaiting said cloth after it has been steamed, pressing means in said table for pressing the cloth after it has been steamed, and oscillating means for (19- positing said cloth in a wavelike manner in a container after it has been pressed.

10. In a machine of the type described, the combinationiwith a table, means supported by said table for plaiting a strip of cloth, pressing means in said table, a semicireular guide between the plaiting and.

, pressing means, and a pair 10f endless canvas belts movable over said semi-circular 25 

